Aryana Joy

I'm still here.  I'm so far behind in everything, you wouldn't even believe it.  Yet here at the computer I sit, with my kitchen counter covered in dirty dishes, piles of shoes beside the door (why DON'T the kids put them where they belong?!), clean laundry covering my bed (and needing folded), dirty laundry oozing out of the hamper, and piles of garbage bags full of hand-me-downs stuffed in a corner of my living room calling for me to sort them.

I'm stealing just a few moments because I miss blogging.  Aryana is three weeks old today and I'm not doing a very good job recording these (sleep-deprived) moments!  I guess it's because I'm too busy holding, rocking, singing to, feeding, and changing (the ubiquitous poopy diapers of) the precious little princess herself.

Luckily for you, (really, I am happy for ME) my sister has some SKILLS with a camera.  She came over to capture memories of Aryana when she was a mere 9-days-old, just about 24 hours after she arrived home.

I just love the colors and texture of the cocoon Briana made for her up against her skin.

 Aryana Joy

I want to record our thought process behind Aryana's name.  We found two different meanings for her first name.  The one citing it as being of Russian origin meant "most holy".  In Sanskrit, Aryana means "a noble and pure woman".

Her middle name, Joy, is after her first mother, whose name is Abigail (which means joy) and Aryana certainly is a source of joy to us.

Precious Aryana Joy, may you always be "a noble and pure woman filled with joy from the Most Holy One."